1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image analysis apparatus which analyzes change of a subject from time-sequentially acquired images of the subject, an image analysis system, and a method for operating the image analysis apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of technologies are conventionally proposed for analyzing change of a subject from time-sequentially acquired images of the subject.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-5056 discloses a technology of an image acquisition apparatus for picking up a normal image of an observation target by means of an image pickup device, and performing a spectrum image process on an image signal outputted from the image pickup device so as to generate a spectral estimation image signal of a predetermined wavelength, wherein: a spectrum image generation unit generates, on the basis of an image signal outputted from the image pickup device, a spectral estimation image signal of a specified wavelength related to a drug to be administered into the observation target such that the spectral estimation image signal serves as a spectral estimation image signal for acquiring luminance information; a luminance information acquisition unit acquires the luminance information of each of spectral estimation image signals for acquiring luminance information generated at a predetermined time interval and acquires the rate of change in the luminance information; and a display device displays an image on the basis of the rate of change rate in the luminance information.
In addition, International Publication No. WO2004/104927 discloses an image analysis method including: picking up a digital image of tooth tissue; determining a first pixel color component value and a second pixel color component value for each of multiple pixels in the digital image; and calculating a first function (e.g., R/G) of the pixel on the basis of the first component value and the second component value.